Kalvin Phillips reacts to what ex-Leeds teammate Luke Ayling did for Middlesbrough v Leicester | OneFootball

Kalvin Phillips took to Instagram to react to former Leeds United teammate Luke Ayling's late equaliser for Middlesbrough.

Former Leeds United teammate Kalvin Phillips has taken to social media to react to Luke Ayling's late equaliser against Leicester City on Tuesday night for Middlesbrough.

Despite being down to ten men, Middlesbrough claimed a late equaliser to rescue a point at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night against Leicester, with Ayling nodding home Callum Brittain's looping cross in the dying embers.

Leicester have struggled massively this season in the Championship, following their relegation from the Premier League, and are currently hovering around the mid-table places with just one win in their last ten outings.

This has placed Spanish boss Marti Cifuentes under increased pressure to turn results around sooner rather than later.

It looked almost a foregone conclusion that the Foxes would gain a much-needed three points against Middlesbrough on Tuesday, with the away side going down to ten men in the 90th minute and trailing the game to Leicester 1-0.

However, a hopeful cross from Brittain, which looked destined to be dealt with by the Leicester defence, was headed home by Ayling and beyond Asmir Begovic in the Foxes' goal, snatching all three points away from the home side as Boro took a point back up to Teesside.

Following Ayling's late equaliser, which sparked his trademark cartwheel celebration, the 34-year-old defender took to his Instagram account to celebrate his goal, and a big away point for Middlesbrough.

"Amazing feeling to grab my first Boro goal like that!" said the Boro captain on the night.

"Boys kept going to the end and never lost belief. Have to work on that carthweel!"

Many of his Middlesbrough teammates celebrated with him in the comments, as did his former Leeds comrade, Phillips.

The former England international, who has struggled for game time at the Cityzens since leaving Leeds for Manchester in 2022, heading out on separate loan spells to West Ham United and Ipswich Town, simply reacted with '😍❤️' to his former White's teammate's post.

Ayling and Phillips spent six years together at Elland Road between 2016 and 2022, both playing regularly in the side and both integral in Leeds' promotion to the Premier League in 2020.

Phillips joined Man City in July 2022 for £45 million and was a regular in the England side, but has seen his career go downhill since his move to the Etihad, unable to replace Rodri in Guardiola's midfield and struggling for fitness.

The two are seemingly still in contact, and the former England midfielder watches on as his friend and former teammate shines for Boro.

Ayling's goal rescued a point for Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, though that did not stop them from dropping to third in the league table, with Stoke City's 3-0 win away to Oxford United meaning the Potters have leapfrogged Rob Edwards' side.

Having begun the 2025/26 season on fire with five wins from their opening six and unbeaten in their opening eight, Boro have suffered somewhat of a minor drop-off in form since, with no wins in their last three.

Indeed, not many would have predicted that Middlesbrough would be in this high a position at this stage in the season, yet Boro fans will nonetheless be disappointed to see their side drop slightly in the table.

Manager Edwards has experience of getting teams promoted previously, having achieved that feat via the play-offs in 2023 with Luton Town, and will be hoping to work similar magic at the Riverside this campaign.

Ayling has been an ever-present for the club from Teesside this season, playing in each of their 14 league matches thus far and starting 11 of those, emerging as an important figure in their back line.

Should Boro push for the promotion places this season, Ayling will be crucial to those efforts, with his experience and quality invaluable to Edwards.